Injured Kangaroos winger Brent Tate is set to miss Australia's World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday night, with Manly's David 'Wolfman' Williams to earn a Test recall.
Tate has been fighting off a hip injury since last Sunday's semi-final against Fiji, and News Ltd reports suggest he's lost the race against the clock.
Despite being named in Ricky Stuart's final team, Tate failed to train on Wednesday.
It's expected the reshuffle will be made official today.
The news arrives with Williams - who bagged a hat-trick in his Test debut against Papua New Guinea - sandwiched in a bidding war for his signature following revelations the Sea Eagles can't afford to keep both Williams and fellow grand final winger, Michael Robertson.
Parramatta boss Denis Fitzgerald has shown immediate interest in the Eels junior, but Manly boss Grant Mayer has warned Parramatta to leave Williams alone.
"David Williams is a very good player - if he was available, we'd love to see him come back," Fitzgerald told News Ltd.
Meanwhile, there are also fitness concerns surrounding Kangaroos lock Paul Gallen who is battling a thigh injury. Anthony Watmough is on standby.
Australia: Billy Slater, Joel Monaghan, Greg Inglis, Israel Folau, Brent Tate, Darren Lockyer (capt), Johnathan Thurston, Petero Civoniceva, Cameron Smith, Steve Price, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Laffranchi, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Karmichael Hunt, Craig Fitzgibbon, Anthony Tupou, Brent Kite.
New Zealand: Lance Hohaia, Sam Perrett, Simon Mannering, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Benji Marshall, Nathan Fien, Nathan Cayless (captain), Thomas Leuluai, Adam Blair, Bronson Harrison, David Fa'alogo, Jeremy Smith. Interchange - Issac Luke, Greg Eastwood, Sam Rapira, Sika Manu.
